Union Printers Home, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Team

Roof Materials

Interstate Roofing recommended Valoré Slate in the Villa color blend of medium and dark grays for the reroofing project. Valoré synthetic slate roofing tiles are made using proprietary VariBlend technology to form varying shades from tile to tile, creating an infinite number of color shades. Each single-width synthetic slate roofing tile is crafted using virgin polymer resins to guarantee a sustainable product. Valoré Slate tiles come in 12-inch tile widths with a 1/2-inch tile thickness, making it a lightweight yet realistic slate roofing tile option. (The Valoré Slate product line no longer is available.)VALORÉ SLATE MANUFACTURER:DaVinci Roofscapes

Interstate Roofing recommended Valoré Slate in the Villa color blend of medium and dark grays for the reroofing project.

Roof Report

Fondly known in Colorado Springs as the Castle on the Hill, the Union Printers Home has a long history of caring for people. Built in 1892 by members of the International Typographical Union to offer specialized health care to their union members, the facility today serves the general public with a multitude of services, including assisted living, nursing care, rehabilitation and hospice.

In 2012, extreme hail damage made it essential to replace the roof on the structure, which is a State of Colorado Historical Site. Interstate Roofing removed more than 50-year-old asbestos tiles on the roof and recommended polymer roofing tiles that complement the existing architectural style. “Considering the age, condition and historical value of the structure, we needed a roofing product that could work with the building while ensuring longevity to the structure,” says Scott Riopelle, owner of Interstate Roofing in Colorado Springs.

Although Riopelle was confident in the selection of the roofing product, there were many challenges for this project. The 50-man crew first had to complete the safe removal of the existing asbestos-laden tiles.

“We had to erect scaffolding 5-stories high to access the roof,” Riopelle says. “Due to the 12:12 roof pitch and the multiple turrets on the structure, building containment areas and debris removal were extremely dangerous. During the entire process, we performed continuous air-quality testing to ensure the safety of the home’s residents, staff and our crew.”

The team worked through the winter months and experienced continuous rain, wind and snow. Riopelle explains: “This means we had abatement processes, plywood redecking, dry-in and loading crews, heavy-equipment contractors, installers and supply companies all working in extreme-weather conditions. For this project, logistics and coordination went minute-to-minute.”

The temporary removal of the large historic clock on the front of the Union Printers Home created the next challenge. Because of its age, there was concern for the clock’s condition. Staff at the home asked that the hands of the clock not be moved; they were permanently set at 8 o’clock to represent the union’s efforts in the past to encourage an eight-hour workday.

Reroofing the turrets on the project was easier because of the Turret Package from DaVinci Roofscapes. Interstate Roofing provided DaVinci with four dimensions (the distance from the peak to the turret to the edge of the drip cap, the turret pitch, the turret cap length and the coursing exposure). From that information, Turret Packages were created, including the starter tiles, numbered field bundles custom-engineered for each course and a turret map diagram to guide the team through installation.

The three-month project had a gratifying outcome for Riopelle and his team. “This was a once-in-a-lifetime project,” Riopelle says. “Although we’ve completed projects much larger and more complex, this one was special because of the history associated with the Printers Union Home and the importance of the facility to the community.”

Interstate Roofing embraced the challenge of tying the old historic structure in with the new technology of the polymer slate products. “The results are amazing. This historic structure has a new life thanks to this roof,” Riopelle observes. “And since the roofing tiles are impact- and fire-resistant, there’s greater peace-of-mind for the staff and residents at the Union Printers Home.”

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January/February 2018

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Roofing is a national publication that unravels, investigates and analyzes how to properly design, install and maintain a roof system. Through the voices of professionals in the field, Roofing’s editorial provides a unique perspective.